FRom the Great commanding God in the Heaven, We alone SOLOMA HOMETH, god upon earth, of great grace and mercy; invincible Great and mighty Emperour of Babylon and Iudea, from the rising of the Sunne to the setting thereof; King of all Kings upon earth, of great grace and mercy; King of whole Arabia and Media, Duke of the Noble Race in Greece and Armenia, a borne Triumphator, as also King of Ierusalem, Lord and protector of the Sepulchre of the Crucified Christ. Challenging you Emperour of Germany, King of Poland, and all your Princes and Peeres; as also the Pope, Cardinalls, Bishops and all your Adherents, by oath of the Crownes of all our Dominions, give you to understand, with great power, that we will come before your City of Vienna with 13 Kingdomes and Nations, and with 1300000 men, both horse and foot, with tyranny and Turkie power and Armours, yea with our Imperiall strength (more than [Page] ever you have seen or heard of) and will pursue you Emperour with fire and sword, and your helpers; and your neighbouring Polander, with military power and force, with burning, robbing, and murthering and destroying of the whole Countrey, and put you to the miserablest death that ever we can invent, banish you into great misery, detaine you prisoners, and use you like dogs. This we absolutely purpose to force you (being you your selves do cruelly tyrannize amongst the Christians, and possesse but a small Country) and to take your Kingdomes with the sword, as also we wil suppresse the Seale of Rome, together with the golden Scepter: this we thought to give notice of unto you Emperour of Germany ▪ and King of Poland, and all your Adherents, that you may regulate your selves after it, because you shall find it so indeed▪ Given in our mighty City of Constantinople (which comprehends in her 1658 Streets, 100 Hospitals, 800 publick Hothouses, 997 Conduits, 112 Markets, where all sorts of wares are sold, 115 appointed places and Stables for Mules, 400 Innes for strangers, 1652 great and small Schooles, 1600 Mills, 417 great and small Churches: this great City comprehends in her walls, 4 German Leagues; of the great Steeples standing upon the wall are 3600 Which City our Ancestors have taken by force, according to our will kept and maintained to your great shame. Done after our Nativity 39 yeares, after our mighty Reigne the tenth yeare.
Venice the 13.23. of March.
It is confirmed, that the Emperour of Turky being 33. yeares of age in the 17. yeare of his raigne is departed out of this life, and that in his place is chosen Emperour, the 10. of February his Brother, being 27. yeares of age, and was called Ibraim the first, who would not accept of the government, unlesse they did shew him first the body of his deceased Brother, and having looked upon him, said, here lies dead a good Souldier, a mighty King, but also a great Tirant, and although he refused the government till such time, notwithstanding hee is now resolved, (being the peace with Persia is now concluded, and the Primo Vezier confirmed in his high Offices) to goe against the King of Poland with an Army of 500000 men, to which end 70000 Tartarians are sent already into the Wallachey.
Stetin 12.22. of March.
Is written that the Tartarians have defeated in Podolia the Podolian troopes. The Lord Koningspotzky levieth at Dantzick and Prusia a Regiment at his own charges: It is likewise certaine, that the Emperour of Turkie is resolved to warre against the King of Poland, [Page] wherefore the said King hath sent the Lord Palatin in embassage to Rome, in the meane time great preparations for warre are made in Poland. Gen: Baudis hath likewise commission to leavie 2000. Curassiers for the King of Poland, the Count of Denhof is likewise to leavie a Regiment of foote.
Venice 20.30. March.
It is writen the Turks have taken not far from Cadix two English ships with some 100 barrs of Silver to the value of 800000. Crownes, which were appointed for the Cardinal Infant in the Low Countries: two Turkey Pirats which were kept block'd up by our galleis at Modoy, are got out of the harbour by a faire winde, but our Gallies pursued presently after them, and sunck them: and from Constantinople they certifie, that fortie thousand Tartarians have alreadie made an invasion into Poland, whereof the King of Poland hath sent alreadie divers troopes and peeces of ordinance towards the frontiers to oppose the Tartarians. He hath likewise called a Diet against the 3 13. Aprill.
March 21.31.
From Marseilles is writen, that the Turks of Tunis [Page] and Algiers are gone to sea with 60. Galleys and saile of ships. The report goes, that they are setting out yet a Navie, 120. Galleys; wherefore the Knights of Malta keepe a watch full, and cause divers harbours, where they might land, to be paled up, and divers sconces and watch-houses to be made.
Venice March 27. April 6.
From Constantinople is written, that the new Emperour of Turkie, with great joy and triumphing, and and the Tartars strengthen themselves more and more, and lie but five leagues from the Polonian frontiers, which fell unawares about 12000. strong upon the Polonian Gen. Laska, who was gone with 400. horsmen to descrie the strength of the Turkes, slew the most part of his men, and the said Generall Laska himselfe came shrewdly wounded back againe.
April 4.14.
Another letter from Poland is written, that in the same Kingdome great terrour and feare is, because of the Turke which lies very strong upon the frontiers of Poland: wherefore the King of Poland levieth in his Dominions, as also in Prussia, great forces; and [Page] that the said levying may goe the speedier forward, all other levying about Dantzick is prohibited: And in the said Citie diverse Fasts have been kept, that God may turn off the great danger of the Turk.
March 31. April 10.
From Dantzick is written, that before the Dyet in Poland, the 27 of this moneth, a generall meeting is appointed to be at Moriaberg in Prussia, because the King of Poland was warned againe by the King of Persia, and the Emperour of Russia of the Turkes, and that already 80000. Tartars are already arrived neare the Nippe on the frontiers of Poland.